Beginning with a parachute drop in the night skies of 1980’s Afghanistan and ending in the recent Paris terrorist attacks, Assassins is a contemporary historical novel of last thirty years of conflict between Islam and the West. Based largely on my own experiences and those of others I know, Assassins lives this unending war through… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today I am thrilled (pun intended) to have award-winning and bestselling author, Clare Mackintosh on the show to talk about her latest book. Clare spent twelve years in the Thames Valley Police Department, during which time she worked on criminal investigations. After leaving the police force in 2011, she worked as… Read more »
If you ask any romance reader what they love most about their genre, most will say it’s the happily ever after (or HEA, as it’s lovingly referred to). It’s the defining characteristic of what makes a romance a romance. It’s the number one requirement for romances novels entered in Romance Writer of America writing contests:… Read more »
The writing life is a constant rollercoaster of ups and downs. One day you’re struck with inspiration and don’t dare to pry your hands away from the keyboard even if the house is on fire. Other days, you doubt every single word you wrote the day before. Whether it’s the inspiration to create, the confidence… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today I’m interviewing Dale Wiley, author and Missouri attorney, who has some fascinating credits to his name. For starters, he has had a character named after him on CSI, owned a record label, been interviewed by Bob Edwards on NPR’s Morning Edition and made alternative fuel motorcycles for Merle Haggard and… Read more »
Web Editor’s Note: Today begins our new Tuesday genre columns. Please join me in welcoming Melanie Marttila to the DIY MFA team! Her column, Speculations, will focus on all things speculative fiction. To learn more about Melanie and the other new members of the DIY MFA team, check out this post right here. When Gabriela… Read more »
I recently watch a documentary on Netflix called “Minimalism.” It’s a concept I’d already heard of—having read Marie Kondo’s The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up last year. In that book, Kondo advocates a sort of personal minimalism, wherein you only keep possessions that “Spark Joy.” The documentary, “Minimalism” follows Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan… Read more »
So, you want to build a writer website? Good decision! Luckily for you, website building is easier than ever, thanks to big developments in this area. You can create a simple website in a matter of clicks – not something that we could recommend though. But wait, where is the catch? Naturally, in order to… Read more »
Hey there word nerds! Today’s interview features Brian Meehl, author of four novels that have garnered several awards and starred book reviews: Out of Patience, Suck It Up, Suck It Up and Die, and You Don’t Know About Me. His latest genre-bending novel, Blowback ‘07, transports readers back to 1907, a time when legendary coach… Read more »
I’d bet we all know what it’s like to fall head over heels for an author—I’d be lying if there aren’t a few who have completely stolen my heart away. This very special kind of chemistry generally goes beyond any individual book, and extends to the author’s overall persona. It can seem that these authors… Read more »
